Key takeaways
- Many employers, especially mid-sized companies, post on local and official portals, not only LinkedIn.
- Local portals have less international competition than LinkedIn Easy Apply.
- Search in English and in the local language, and set daily alerts.
- Apply on the company's own career page whenever you can.
When I ask people where they apply, the answer is usually "LinkedIn". That is a good start, but in Europe it is only part of the market. Many companies, especially the mid-sized companies that form the backbone of Germany's economy, post on local and official job portals first.
Why local portals matter
- More jobs. Some employers never post on LinkedIn, especially smaller and traditional companies.
- Less competition. A LinkedIn post with Easy Apply can get hundreds of applications in a day. The same job on a local portal often gets far fewer international applicants.
- Official data. Public employment services show real vacancies from registered employers.
- Local keywords. You learn how employers in that country describe your job.
Portals by country
| Country | Official portal | Popular private portals |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Jobbörse (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) | StepStone, Indeed, XING |
| Netherlands | werk.nl (UWV) | Indeed, Nationale Vacaturebank |
| Belgium | VDAB, Actiris, Le Forem | StepStone Belgium, Jobat |
| Austria | AMS | karriere.at, StepStone Austria |
| Luxembourg | ADEM | Jobs.lu, Moovijob |
| Denmark | Jobnet, Work in Denmark | Jobindex |
| Sweden | Platsbanken (Arbetsförmedlingen) | Indeed, LinkedIn |
| Norway | arbeidsplassen (NAV) | FINN.no |
| Ireland | JobsIreland | IrishJobs.ie, Indeed |
| Finland | Job Market Finland, Work in Finland | Duunitori |
| Poland | praca.gov.pl | Pracuj.pl |
| All EU | EURES |
For Germany in detail, read where to find jobs in Germany. Each country guide, such as Denmark or Austria, has the portals for that country.
How to search local portals
- Search in two languages. Use your job title in English and in the local language, for example Data Analyst and Datenanalyst.
- Add an English filter. Search terms like English speaking, englischsprachig or Engels help find international roles.
- Set daily alerts. Early applicants get read first. Apply within two or three days.
- Apply on the company site. If a job is also on the company's career page, apply there with a tailored CV.
- Track everything. Keep a simple tracker with company, date, contact and follow up.
Free PDF: Official job portals of EuropeDownload it free in under a minute, or send
PORTALS to @swapnil_in_germany on Instagram.
Written by Swapnil (Samadhan Mule)
I moved to Germany for my master's, collected more than 1,000 rejections, and then got multiple job offers within six months. I work in digital marketing in Germany and help international professionals get hired in Europe. Read my story.
